وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنْصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ ﴿۲۰۴﴾ وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ وَلَا تَكُنْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ ﴿۲۰۵﴾ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَيُسَبِّحُونَهُ وَلَهُ يَسْجُدُونَ۩ ࣛ ﴿۲۰۶﴾

﴾204﴿ Wa izaa quri'al Quraanu fastami'oo lahoo wa ansitoo la 'allakum turhamoon
﴾205﴿ Wazkur Rabbaka fee nafsika tadarru'anw wa kheefatanw wa doonal jahri minal qawli bilghuduwwi wal aasali wa laa takum minal ghaafileen
﴾206﴿ Innal lazeena 'inda Rabbika laa yastakbiroona 'an 'ibaadatihee wa yusabbihoonahoo wa lahoo yasjudoon

﴾204﴿ When the Quran is recited, listen to it and be silent so that you may be shown mercy
﴾205﴿ And remember your Lord within yours heart with supplication and fear, and with a speech less than a loud voice, in the morning and evening, and be not of the heedless
﴾206﴿ Those who are near your Lord do not turn away from His worship And they remember Him with purity and snd they prostrates only to him

[204] In these two verses, the seventh and eighth etiquettes are mentioned, specifically related to the recitation of the Qur’an. These etiquettes are:
1. Listening attentively when the Qur’an is recited.
2. Remaining silent in respect and reflection.
The correct opinion is that this verse is general (ʿāmm) in its application— It applies not only to formal contexts like prayers (ṣalāh) and Friday sermons (khuṭbah), but also to any time and place where the Qur’an is being recited. Therefore, it is obligatory (wājib) for listeners to observe these etiquettes, out of reverence for the speech of Allah. The reciter (qārī) should also educate the listeners about these etiquettes so that the Qur’an is received with proper respect and reflection.
Note: Listening is done with intention and will, while sama‘ (hearing) is general, whether intentional or not, and insat means abandoning other occupations.
There are two discussions in the verse.
The first discussion is about the context of revelation and the address of the verse.
Imam Razi has mentioned many opinions on this.
The first is that the verse applies generally—whenever someone recites the Quran, everyone must listen to it, whether it is during prayer, a sermon, or Quran teaching.
As Shami has written: it is disliked to recite the Quran all together in one voice—meaning when many people recite the Quran loudly together (as in communal completions), this practice is disliked.
The second opinion is that it was revealed to prohibit talking during prayer.
The third is that it was revealed to prevent greeting each other during prayer.
The fourth is that it was revealed concerning the sermon.
The fifth is that it was revealed regarding recitation behind the imam.
These opinions are also mentioned by Ibn Jarir and Ibn Kathir.
The sixth opinion is that the address is to the disbelievers, and the intended meaning of "mercy" is the attainment of guidance, and Imam Razi preferred this view.
Question: Did Imam Ahmad say it is established by consensus that this verse concerns prayer?
Answer: Imam Zayla'i did not mention any chain of transmission for it, nor did Imam Bayhaqi refer to any book for it.
Another reason is that Ibn Kathir has brought many opinions with chains (as mentioned earlier), so how can consensus be established on just one view?
Indeed, consideration is based on the general wording, not on the specific cause, and when verses are revealed concerning disbelievers, they can still be used to infer rulings for believers.
For example, the verse "Indeed, those who conceal..." was about Jewish disbelievers but also includes Muslim scholars who hide certain truths.
The second discussion: Is it valid to use this verse to prohibit reciting behind the imam?
Answer: This reasoning is weak for many reasons.
The first is that the verse's intent is that behind the imam, one should not recite loudly, as it contradicts listening and attentiveness.
But silent recitation does not contradict listening and attentiveness.
Supporting this is the fact that the author of Hidayah in the chapter on the Friday sermon says that listening and being silent are obligatory for the sermon.
However, when the preacher recites "O you who believe, send blessings upon him and greet him with peace," the listeners should silently recite blessings.
Kifayah states it should be said quietly.
Thus, quiet verbal recitation does not contradict listening and attentiveness; otherwise, jurists would not have permitted it.
The second reason is that the follower recites during the pauses of the imam, as Imam Tirmidhi mentioned among the people of hadith, and Imam Bukhari in Juz’ al-Qira’ah said that one should recite during the first pause.
The third reason is that although the verse includes Surah al-Fatihah generally, it is specifically qualified by the hadith "There is no prayer.."
[205] In this passage, a detailed discussion is presented about the verse commanding to listen and remain silent when the Qur’an is recited—clarifying its scope and implications.
Key Definitions:
استماع: Listening with intention and focus. سماع: Hearing, whether intentionally or unintentionally. انصات: Avoiding other activities (like talking or being distracted) to give full attention.
Two Main Discussions in the Verse:
1. Occasion and context of revelation
2. Ruling derived from it
Imam Rāzī presents several opinions regarding the verse’s context of revelation:
1. General Application (‘umūm): The verse applies in every context where the Qur’an is recited—be it during prayer, sermons, teaching, or public recitation. Even Imām Shāmī wrote: "It is disliked (makrūh) when multiple people recite aloud together without clarity or reflection—such as in loud group 'khatm' gatherings."
2. Specifically about speaking during prayer – prohibiting conversation in prayer.
3. About saying salām during prayer – discouraging greetings while others are praying.
4. About the Friday sermon (khuṭbah) – prohibiting speaking while the sermon is delivered.
5. About reciting behind the imam – discouraging loud recitation of the Qur’an by followers during congregational prayer.
These views are also mentioned by Ibn Jarīr and Ibn Kathīr. 6. Addressed to the disbelievers, urging them to remain silent and reflect when the Qur’an is recited. Imām Rāzī favors this view, explaining that “mercy” in the verse refers to the guidance that may be attained through listening.
Response to the Claim of Consensus: Imām Aḥmad is quoted as saying there's ijmā‘ (consensus) that this verse relates to ṣalāh, but Imām Zayla‘ī mentions no chain of transmission (sanad) for this claim. Similarly, Imām Bayhaqī did not reference any specific book for this claim. Moreover, Ibn Kathīr cited several chains of narration and differing opinions, proving that there is no unanimous consensus (ijmā‘) on a single context.
Final Principle: > “Consideration is for the generality of the wording, not the specificity of the cause.” That is: the ruling applies broadly to anyone who hears Qur’anic recitation, not just to the original group it was revealed about. Just like the verse (إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ...)—though revealed about the disbelieving Jews—is also applicable to Muslim scholars who hide or distort the truth.
p Conclusion: This verse obligates attentive silence whenever the Qur’an is recited, regardless of context, and its meaning extends to prayer, sermons, teaching, and general recitation. The etiquettes of listening with intent and refraining from distraction are essential for properly engaging with the Book of Allah.
Second Discussion: Is the argument from this verse valid for prohibiting recitation behind the imam or not?
Answer: This argument is weak for several reasons:
1. The verse’s intent is that one should not recite aloud behind the imam, because doing so contradicts the obligation of listening and remaining silent. However, silent (quiet) recitation does not conflict with listening and silence. This is supported by the fact that the author of Hidayah stated in the chapter on the Friday sermon that listening and remaining silent are obligatory during the sermon. Yet, when the preacher recites "O you who have believed, send blessings upon him and salute him with all respect," the listeners silently recite salawat. In Kifayah, it is also mentioned that it should be recited quietly. Therefore, speaking silently with the tongue is not contradictory to listening and silence—otherwise, the jurists would not have permitted it.
2. The follower (muqtadi) recites during the pauses (saktahs) of the imam, as narrated by Imam Tirmidhi in the discussion of the hadith scholars, and Imam Bukhari in Juz’ al-Qira’ah, where he says that recitation should be done during the first pause. 3. Although this verse includes and is general about Surah Al-Fatiha, it has been made specific through hadiths such as “There is no prayer without the Opening Chapter (Al-Fatiha).”
[206] In this verse, the purpose is to encourage the preacher by describing the state of those who are close (to Allah), who possess three qualities: The first is a quality of the heart, The second is of the tongue, And the third is of the limbs.